Freaky Friday

Remember that old movie with Jodie Foster—or the newer one with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis? Where the daughter switches bodies with her mom for a day?

As readers, especially romance readers, we adore spending a few hours in another person’s skin. I would definitely switch places with a Presents heroine for a day—depending on the day, of course. The last day of the book would probably be the best one, when that alpha has had a few of his roughest edges worn down. An evening gown event would be a fine second choice.

But what about switching lives with a romance author? Back in October, I had the chance

But that fine Saturday last October, I was in Toronto, arguably Canada’s most cosmopolitan city. I hadn’t met Jennifer in person yet, but we’d been in touch by email and I asked if she’d like to join me and some friends for lunch downtown. The very center of downtown: Yonge and Dundas. Oh, I felt like we were living large! And Jen? Well, this was her neighborhood. I was so envious!to live like fellow Presents Author, Jennifer Hayward, for an afternoon. I’m your basic country mouse eeking out my living in a town of fifteen hundred. I chose it, I love it, I’m not complaining, but the shopping. Meager, I tell you. Downright painful in winter when it is not worth the drive through the snow.

Fortunately I had another chance to transport into her world this month. While chatting over our lunch, we realized we both had February titles. Then our author copies arrived and we learned that Mills & Boon had paired us up in a 2in1 exclusive in the UK. This spawned Freaky Friday, where we posted exclusive excerpts on each other’s blogs last Friday. You can check them out here:

We completed the ritual by sending a few signed books to each other, thus allowing me to offer a super-elite giveaway of this 2in1 book signed by both authors! To be entered to win, join my newsletter here. I’ll draw on March 1st.

Meanwhile, I’ve included the blurb and a fresh excerpt from A Debt Paid In Passion, one where Raoul and Sirena are living as large as we Presents fans would like to.

Raoul Zesiger has everything a man could want—including Sirena Abbott, the perfect PA who keeps his life in order. Or so it seems, until their professional relationship gives way to one hot, impassioned night…and then he has her arrested for embezzlement!

She may have escaped a prison sentence, but Sirena knows she’ll be shackled to Zesiger by more than just the past. With Raoul determined to recover the debt she owes him, Sirena is torn between guilt and an impossible attraction. But what will happen when Raoul uncovers the truth behind her theft?

**

Excerpt:

He caught an eyeful of Sin and felt like his breath was punched out of him.

She had her back to him, but he was transfixed. He took in the curls pulled away from one ear to cascade like a waterfall over her opposite shoulder. Her off-the-shoulder gown in gypsy green dipped to reveal one shoulder blade. A cut out on the other side offered a peek of her waist and spine. The skirt draped gracefully over her rounded hips to puddle sumptuously behind her. Distantly, he realized he wasn’t getting any air, and that she hadn’t even turned around, but she’d stolen his breath.

“Your date is here. Quite a dish, too,” Ali said, cocking her chin in his direction.

He barely noticed the girl as the woman turned. Her plump bottom lip was caught in her teeth while her mossy eyes were pools of uncertainty. Always beautiful, Sirena didn’t need make-up and the stylist had known it, only enhancing her stunning bone structure and opulent lashes with a streak of frosted jade and shimmering gold.

A wink of emeralds dangled from her ears and encircled her wrist. They were loaners, but he decided to buy them. They matched her eyes too perfectly to allow them to go to any other woman.

“I’m sorry,” she said faintly. “Have you, um, been waiting for me?”

All my life.

**

I’d love to hear what you think. Keep up with all of my news here, and remember to join my newsletter for a chance to win that special autographed 2in1:

Hi Dani! Don’t you two look wonderful up there! I am loving seeing you guys as a 2in1. That, right there, is an awesome double dose of reading pleasure for sure. So looking forward to reading Raoul and Sirena’s story – I know it will be tremendous

It was a very fun day for me. I am not only starved for entertainment in my rural home, but starved for writerly company. Jen is so fun and awesome. Good food, good company… What more can a girl ask for?